Sesame Seeds

Sesame Seeds, White or Toasted

Sesame seeds, with their wonderful nutty flavor, are great added to so many dishes: green salads or pasta salads, stir fry, for encrusting chicken or beef, and in sauteed vegetable dishes. A popular use for sesame seeds is in making bread, rolls, crackers, and breadsticks. Because of the high oil content in sesame seeds, about 50%, we recommend storing them in the refrigerator during warm weather.

As far as can be determined, sesame is the world's oldest oil-producing plant. With the possible exception of Africa and Asia, where sesame is eaten more like a grain, people throughout the world value sesame primarily for the oil which is pressed from it. This oil is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, important in light of current nutrition research. It makes a good choice for cooking oil or salad dressings. African slaves brought sesame seeds to this country because they were considered good luck. In Africa they were called "benne" seeds, and you might see them called for under this name in Southern cookbooks.

Closely Related Products

• Sesame Seeds, Black

Cuisines and Categories

• Indian, Sesame Seeds

Recipes with this Spice